Here’s a concept.  Slip a little oxytocin in an adversary’s drink and improve your potential outcome.  Sound crazy?  Well, it may not be a crazy as it sounds since two studies have shown that changing the oxytocin or serotonin levels in the brain alter people’s sense of fairness or generosity.

Using a psychological test called the Ultimate Game (UG), researchers have found that changing brain chemistry alters the what is considered fair on both the giving and receiving end.  The basis of the UG is that one person is given a sum of money and makes the decision of what amount to give to a second person involved in the test.  If the second person accepts the offer both parties get to keep the money.  If the second person rejects the amount offered, neither gets to keep the money.

Simple, right?  Wrong.  It appears that in every culture there is the similar sense of fairness that is exhibited in games like this.  When the amount of money falls below what the second person considers fair, the second person will reject the amount even though that means no one gets to keep the money.

According to Science, recent research has shown that most people will accept amounts that are within 10% of a 50/50 split, but up to 50% will reject amounts 30% or more of a 50/50 split.  Since no one keeps the money if the second person rejects the offered amount, an added element of punishment appears to be involved in the rejection of anything not considered “fair”.

By changing the brain chemistry of participants, the researchers were able to change the outcomes.  The research reported in Science showed that when serotonin levels were lowered the rejection rates were significantly higher at offers perceived to be unfair.  Offers perceived to be fair showed no change.

A previous study reported in PLoS one, showed a different effect in the UG test.  By elevating the amount of oxytocin in  the brain, offered amounts were 80% more generous than offers made by people without the elevated oxytocin.  Since forming trusting familial bonds may rely in part on oxytocin, this outcome could have a significant affect in treating parents or children with bonding problems.

Either way, it looks as if changing brain chemistry affects not only illnesses like depression and bi-polar disorder, but also one’s sense of fairness or generosity.

Just think, if we could spike the drinks of the world’s wealthiest misers, we might be able to shake a little money loose for those in need of healthcare, food, and housing.

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Entry was posted on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 at 11:13 pm under Health, Science and technology.

Read more entries by Susan Wilson.
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